Matt Allan

Published:7:05 amFebruary 8, 2018

Possible fuel leaks, cracked cylinder heads, and failing handbrakes are among the problems that have seen major manufacturers recall vehicles over the past month.

Vehicle recalls are common in the automotive industry and are generally a result of the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), or the manufacturer determining that a fault in a vehicle constitutes a safety defect. According to the DVSA Code of Conduct, a car must be recalled if: “a failure due to design and/or construction, is likely to affect the safe operation of the product/aftermarket part without prior warning to the user and may pose a significant risk to the driver, occupants and others. This defect will be common to a number of products/aftermarket parts that have been sold for use in the United Kingdom”.

Among the key recalls since the start of the year were:

Audi

Vehicles affected: A4, A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 built between 02/04/2011 and 01/08/2015

Details: The auxiliary heater element in the air conditioner may fail as a result of overheating in the area of the connectors, in conjunction with smoulder damage or potential fire

Remedial action: Fit an auxiliary heater element with optimised electrical connectors. The activation of the electric auxiliary heater must be adjusted by updating the software for the air conditioning control console.

Description: Localized overheating of the engine cylinder head may cause the cylinder head to crack.This may cause a pressurized oil leak which in extreme circumstances could result in a fire in the engine compartment.

Remedial action: Replace affected components and fit a Coolant Level Sensor along with associated software to provide and audible and visual warning to the driver..

Description: There is a possibility that the resin weld between the fuel tank and the fuel inlet pipe may be insufficient because the fuel tank and fuel inlet pipe were misaligned during the manufacturing process.

Description: On the subject vehicles the tolerances of the teeth on the handbrake sector gear are outside Mazda Corporations design specifications. This reduces engagement between the handbrake sector gear and the ratchet pawl and can cause the handbrake to disengage unexpectedly. This could cause the parking brake to release unintentionally and the vehicle to move unexpectedly.

Description: Due to a deviation in the suppliers production process a specific squib batch may not comply with specifications, In the event of an accident during which the left or right hand seat belt tensioner in the rear is activated with out squib ignition the belt may not fully restrain the occupant.

Remedial action: On affected vehicles replace the left and right hand rear seat belts with a correct version.

Description: A-pillar trims are fitted to the vehicle affected with a fleece on their inner side which may peel off during temperatures below zero. This fleece should prevent the broken off parts of the A-pillar trim from entering the vehicles interior during a head airbag activation. If the fleece has peeled off, the broken parts of the trim could penetrate into the interior potentially injuring the occupants.

Remedial action: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and fit new front A-pillar trims.

Vehicle Id: TMBMJ7NU0J5013502 to TMBMJ7NUXJ5015399

Toyota

Models affected: Avensis, RAV4 built between 23/06/2016 and 26/10/2016

Concern: Bolts on the exhaust side of the turbocharger assembly may be incorrectly tightened

Description: Affected vehicles have a 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel engine. There is a possibility that the bolts on the exhaust-side of the turbocharger assembly may not have been correctly tightened during manufacture.